Biometric Indices of Arachis hypogaea Plant Grown in Kutchalli Waste Pit Materials (Soils) in Borno State, Nigeria

Kutchalli drilling waste pit materials (WPM) in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, exploration site in Borno State of Nigeria was evaluated for systemic toxicity to inhabitants (man, animal and plants) via the food chain. In this experiment, biometric indices were analysed using standard methods. Results obtained showed that the control soil (group 1) had plant height of 27cm \ub10.2, leaf length 2.8cm \ub10.3, while those of the wpm soils of group 5 had plant height of 25cm \ub10.2, leaf length 2.3cm \ub10.1 and group 7 plant height of 19cm \ub10.3 and 1.6cm \ub10.2 with a significant difference at p<0.5. Currently, WPM generated from crude oil drilling activities are not properly disposed off, therefore usually get washed away into various water bodies and arable farm lands through leaching. In view of these, fears have been expressed in connection with the utilization of these food products for consumption, which are believed to be of serious health risks to both plants and animals (man). Arachis hypogaea was used as a test plant to ascertain these fears

On the typology and the worship status of sacred trees with a special reference to the Middle East

This article contains the reasons for the establishment of sacred trees in Israel based on a field study. It includes 97 interviews with Muslim and Druze informants. While Muslims (Arabs and Bedouins) consider sacred trees especially as an abode of righteous figures' (Wellis') souls or as having a connection to their graves, the Druze relate sacred trees especially to the events or deeds in the lives of prophets and religious leaders. A literary review shows the existence of 24 known reasons for the establishment of sacred trees worldwide, 11 of which are known in Israel one of these is reported here for the first time. We found different trends in monotheistic and polytheistic religions concerning their current worship of sacred trees

The supernatural characters and powers of sacred trees in the Holy Land

This article surveys the beliefs concerning the supernatural characteristics and powers of sacred trees in Israel; it is based on a field study as well as a survey of the literature and includes 118 interviews with Muslims and Druze. Both the Muslims and Druze in this study attribute supernatural dimensions to sacred trees which are directly related to ancient, deep-rooted pagan traditions. The Muslims attribute similar divine powers to sacred trees as they do to the graves of their saints; the graves and the trees are both considered to be the abode of the soul of a saint which is the source of their miraculous powers. Any violation of a sacred tree would be strictly punished while leaving the opportunity for atonement and forgiveness. The Druze, who believe in the transmigration of souls, have similar traditions concerning sacred trees but with a different religious background. In polytheistic religions the sacred grove/forest is a centre of the community's official worship; any violation of the trees is regarded as a threat to the well being of the community. Punishments may thus be collective. In the monotheistic world (including Christianity, Islam and Druze) the pagan worship of trees was converted into the worship/adoration of saints/prophets; it is not a part of the official religion but rather a personal act and the punishments are exerted only on the violating individual

Conservation and human behaviour: lessons from social psychology

Despite increased effort from non-governmental organisations, academics and governments over recent decades, several threats continue to cause species declines and even extinctions. Resource use by a growing human population is a significant driver of biodiversity loss, so conservation scientists need to be interested in the factors that motivate human behaviour. Economic models have been applied to human decision making for many years; however, humans are not financially rational beings and other characteristics of the decision maker (including attitude) and the pressure that people perceive to behave in a certain way (subjective norms) may influence decision making; these are characteristics considered by social psychologists interested in human decision making.Wereview social-psychology theories of behaviour and how they have been used in the context of conservation and natural-resource management.Many studies focus on general attitudes towards conservation rather than attitudes towards specific behaviours of relevance to conservation and thus have limited value in designing interventions to change specific behaviours (e.g. reduce hunting of a threatened species). By more specifically defining the behaviour of interest, and investigating attitude in the context of other social-psychological predictors of behaviour (e.g. subjective norms, the presence of facilitating factors and moral obligation), behaviours that have an impact on conservation goals will be better understood, allowing for the improved design of interventions to influence them